Millenium Year Edition, Rotary Israel

Whenever I say that it is not hard to organize a Rotary Club, I think of the story that Claire Martin tells of his experience in organizing the Rotary Club at Jerusalem. Racial prejudices were so intense in that community that it was said no Rotary Club could ever exist there. But Clare Martin didn’t believe that.

He went to Jerusalem and visited 15 men, deliberately choosing men of different races, color, and religion. He told each of them about Rotary, and each expressed the opinion that it would be highly desirable, but equally impossible, to have a Club in Jerusalem. For the moment, he appeared to agree, then invited them, individually, to be his gueat at dinner.

Each came thinking himself to be the only guest, but found to his surprise that there were 15 assembled. They glared at each other, and each wondered how the others happened to be there. Clare then excused himself, telling them that he would be back shortly. His guests were more uncomfortable than ever. Finally their natural courtesy began to assert itself. An Arab crossed the room and shook hands with a Jew. The each of them, feeling he could not be outdone in courtesy, tried to surpass the others in politeness.

At just the right moment, Clare Martin stepped back into the room and, raising his hand, announced, “Gentlemen, the Rotary Club of Jerusalem is now in session.”

This happened in 1928 and the Rotary Club of Jerusalem exists, meets regularly, and enjoys the same kind of fellowship Rotarians everywhere enjoy.

Richard H. Wells President, Rotary International 1944-45

From the article: “Jerusalem Has a Rotary Club!”, by Fred B. Barton, American War Correspondent (The Rotarian, October, 1944).

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[…] It will reveal to them that history is not merely a vague and distant subject that should be left to a few absentminded professors who live obscure lives in the bowels of our libraries. On the contrary, it is the most vital and necessary study to which a citizen who means well by his fellowmen and the community at large can ever hope to devote himself. For the purpose of history is to give meaning to that which otherwise would make no sense. And sense is the basis for that reasonable and decently human life for which we are fighting.

From: “Every Man A Historian”, by Hendrik Willem van Loon, American historian and author (The Rotarian, May, 1944).